Organizing a Beach or River clean-up

An encouraging and informative video from the Kleinmond, Western Cape team

ORGANIZING A CLEAN-UP

A Rocha South Africa supports all beach and rivers Clean-ups and would like to invite congregations and individuals to arrange or participate in a local clean-up on a beach, along a river, or anywhere that needs cleaning up on days like International Coastal Clean-up, Wetlands Day, etc.

International Coastal Clean-up is the largest volunteer event in the world. It has been running for some 32 years and involves thousands of volunteers in 100+ countries. So join the fun.

A Rocha International has developed a comprehensive manual on organizing a clean-up. (Click to download).

Here are the basics

A. BEFORE THE CLEAN-UP

1. Decide on a Date

2. Pick a location and get permission: Decide WHERE the clean-up will take place. Get permission from the municipality or owner of the property if needed.

3. Get the word out: Advertise the event at your church and in the local press. Invite volunteers to participate. Use social media. Involve members, Sunday School kids and the youth.

4. Plan a safe event

Get a team together to decide:

• WHERE people will meet
  At WHAT TIME the clean-up will START and END. (A clean-up does not need to last more than 90 – 120 minutes)
  What first-aid you will need
  Where the litter will be deposited awaiting pick-up
  Who will remove the collect filled bags. (Municipality or contractor)

5. You should provide

• Enough litter / refuse bags
  Monitoring sheets on a stable surface and pens. (Click to download Monitoring sheet)
  Large container / skip for the filled refuse bags.
  Somebody to take pictures of the clean-up
  Refreshments to say thank you at the end

6. Each volunteer should bring

• A pair of gardening gloves (or an empty bread bag)
  Own drinking water
  Adequate protection against the sun, heat or cold
  Appropriate footwear
  A litter picker – optional

B. ON THE DAY OF THE CLEAN-UP

Before and during the clean-up

1.  Welcome everybody and divide into groups of 3 or 4. One person to fill in the monitoring sheet and the others to collect
2.  Give a monitoring sheet to each group to fill in. This helps to keep track of what has been picked up
3.  Let groups pick litter in the designated area
4.  Take pictures of volunteers working
5.  When refuse bags have been filled deposit them at agreed place

After the clean-up

1.  Count all the filled bags and determine the total weight of litter collected
2.  Collect the monitoring sheet from everyone
3.  Take a picture of the group
4.  Thank every participant and enjoy refreshments

C. THE DAY AFTER THE CLEAN-UP

1.  Collate the data from all of the monitoring sheets. (Click to download summary spreadsheet)
2.  Evaluate the clean-up event
3.  Send the collated information and pictures to A Rocha South Africa: [email protected]

We would love to hear about your clean-up.